Senate Fails to Defund Planned Parenthood

By a vote of 53-46, the U.S. Senate temporarily defeated a bill that would have immediately stripped Planned Parenthood of more than $500 million annually in taxpayer funding.

The measure, sponsored by Sens. Joni Ernst and Rand Paul, was quickly crafted in response to the now four separate videos released by the Center for Medical Progress that show Planned Parenthood in various stages of cooperation in the sale of aborted babies.

Only two Democrats, Sens. Joe Donnelly and Joe Manchin, joined the Republican efforts to pass the bill.

Meanwhile, their votes were countered by two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins and Mark Kirk, who joined Democrats in killing the measure.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren led the charge for Democrat efforts to publicly demonize the GOP caucus for what she characterized as an “orchestrated right-wing attack on women’s rights.”

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hinted that he may bring the bill up again, perhaps after as many as eight more undercover videos are released by CMP.